The Edo State Acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Jarett Tenebe, was recently seen in a now viral video threatening to mobilise hoodlums to stone the Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki.
Well, it has been said that anyone who knows Jarret Tenebe will confirm that he’s no stranger to violence and thuggery. It will be recalled that only last year, during the 2023 general elections, he was allegedly arrested by the Police for illegal possession of firearms and an attempted invasion of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Etsako West Local Government Area.
Again, it is no surprise that the APC under his inglorious watch will resort to this gutter tactics and brazen threats of violence given the obvious reality and frustration with the fact that their governorship candidate, Senator Monday Okpebolo, has become increasingly unmarketable and unsellable to Edo people.
From the video one can see the picture of a visibly frustrated and angry party chairman with a roguish mien reflective of the characteristic savagery and brutality that the party had acquired a notorious reputation for.
It is becoming increasingly clear that APC in Edo State is headed for a catastrophic collapse with the internal crisis and massive defections that have hit the party lately. Most notably, the APC state vice chairman, Hon. Chief Francis Inegbeniki, during the weekend, announced his resignation from his position and dumped the party citing recent developments in the party which he claimed conflict with his core principles and values.
Also, in Igueben, hundreds of APC members have dumped the party for PDP. The entire media architecture of the APC has also collapsed into PDP.
Therefore, recent threat of violence by Tenebe is part of the last antics of a sinking party and a weak attempt to divert public attention from the crisis that has bedevilled the party and their intellectually bankrupt and integrity challenged candidate, Akpakomiza, who has found it very difficult to articulate any policies or reasonable ideas on how to govern Edo State.
Jarett Tenebe’s treasonable call is, however, dead on arrival as Edo people know where to direct their stones. The people of Edo State like other Nigerians know well to channel their anger towards the party that has made Nigeria the poverty capital of the world. They know the party that removed fuel subsidy and increased fuel to about N700 Naira per liter. They know the party that has made a bag of rice to sell for over N70,000 naira. With inflation and food inflation rising daily, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many Nigerians to even afford a decent meal a day. Edo people know APC is not an option.
In contrast, Edo people know the party that has raised the minimum wage to ₦70,000 for them to ameliorate hardship the APC has inflicted on them and the party that has blatantly refused to increase minimum wage for the people despite NLC/TUC strike actions.
Finally, Jarrett Tenebe’s subversive and mutinous call for the governor to be stoned is another signpost of APC’s strategy of violence to capture Edo State at all cost for their godfathers in Abuja but it will be firmly resisted by the good and fearless people of Edo State.
Osagie writes from Oredo LGA, Edo State.